Another business has pulled the plug on plans to operate at Wilmington Airport, with Daedalus Aviation notifying the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) on Tuesday afternoon that it is no longer pursuing a hangar lease at the airport.
The decision comes as activist and state lawmakers called on Governor Matt Meyer to oppose the proposed lease. Attention intensified after it was learned that Daedalus Aviation holds federal contracts tied to immigration enforcement aviation services.
The situation unfolded against the backdrop of earlier protests at Wilmington Airport involving Avelo Airlines, which previously operated deportation-related flights under a federal contract. Those flights prompted demonstrations and sustained public criticism, and the airline later announced it would end its involvement in those operations.
Today, the DRBA said that Daedalus representatives advised them that, at this time, they are no longer pursuing a hangar lease at Wilmington Airport (ILG).
The DRBA remains committed to advancing its mission of promoting economic development and enhancing crossings, transportation, terminal, and other facilities in Delaware and the New Jersey counties of Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem.
As a federally obligated airport sponsor that has received approximately $100 million dollars in FAA grant funding for ILG since 1995, the DRBA will continue to comply with applicable federal and state laws as it pursues additional aeronautical users and diversified revenue sources to support growth at the airport officials said.
